Rear-axle assembly



Dec. 8, 1925.

C. E. WEAVER REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY Filed July 18 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 8, 1925.,

c. E. WEAVER REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY Filed July 19, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 8, 1925- 1,564,733

c. E. WEAVER REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY Filed July 18, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet s Dec. 8, 1925. 1,564,733

' c. E. WEAVER REAR AXL'E ASSEMBLY Filed July 18, '1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented D... 8,1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CAIUS E- WEAVER, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'IO BIRMINGHAM MOTORS, I

OF JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, A TRUST.

. REAR-AXLE ASSEMBLY.

Applicatiof filed July 18, 1921. Serial No. 485,598.

I '0 all whom, it may concem:

Be it known that I, GAIUS E. WEAVER, a citizen of the-United States, residing at the city of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Rear- Axle Assemblies, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The invention relates to rear axles of automobiles and similar vehicles; and the improvement consists, first, in providing a centrally placed differential casing having seats for attaching the central portions of the semi-elliptical springs thereto, the differential casing thereby providing a strong central supporting column for said springs, one

of said semi-elliptic springs being placed centrally crosswise of the top of said casing, and the two lower springs secured in seats on the under side of said casing and about equi-distant from the center line thereof so as to form a triangular or pyramidal arrangement to guard against both front and rear shocks; second, to connect the outer ends of said springs by stron triangular spiders each having a wheel spindle extending out centrally therefrom; third, to provide strong, preferably tubular parallel radius rods to connect said differential casing and spiders alongside each half of each spring, said connection being made by shackle links at the outer ends and having oil-less bushings to thereby give strong control for the crosswise springs; and fourth; to provide Cardan shafts having universal joints at each end thereof one each side of said differential casing .and connected to said wheel spindles to turn the same; and the invention consists'in thefnovel features and combinav tions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the rear-axle assembly with wheels thereon showing the referred construction and arrangement oft e same, a portionof the body bein shown in section. Fi 2 is a partiall sectional view of the di erential er and wheel showin the construction and connection of the different parts and the manner in which the driving axle and brake 'drum are assembled into the differential casing, the opposite side portion and wheel being broken away, Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the rear axle assembly,tl1 e forward portion of the differential casing being shown in section, one end of said assembly and the;

wheel portion being broken away. Fig. 4 is a sectional View of the preferred form of one of the oil-less bushings. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the triangular shaped spide" for connecting and supporting the outer ends of the crosswise springs, and also showing the wheel spindle thereon. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the inner side of said triangular shaped spider showing the preferred ar-- rangement of the same, two of the tubular bearings for the spring ends being shown partially in section, and a section is shown of the annular or flanged edge of the spider at line 6--6 in said figure. Fig. 7 is avertical sectional view at hne 77 in Figs. 5 and- 6 of said spider showing the preferred shape and arrangement of the same andthe tubular integral wheel spindle extending out there- .from, the strengthening ribs or flanged edge construction of said spider being shown in a crosssectional view at line 77 in said figure? Fig. 8 is an endwise elevation of the differential casing, showing the substantially one-piece construction of the same and the triangularly placed seats for the triple spring suspension, which springs are shown in section, a portion of the rear'automobile frame art and the cross member within said frame eing shown, as well as the connection to the torque tube. Fig. 9 is a rear elevation, and Fig. 10 is an'endwise elevation, and

. ment of the same. casing, rake drum, Ca'rdan shaft, the spid- Like characters of referencerefer to corres ending parts in the several views. he numerals 20 and 2], designate the rear side portions .or units of the automobile frame which are connected by the crosswise channel bar 22 over the central portion of the rear axle assemblyi,-being attached can trally by the plate 23 over the top of the central upper crosswise spring 24 by means of bolts 25 at each side, which bolts extend down into the differential casing 26.

The differential casing 26 is preferably made substantially integral, that is in one piece having the rear cover 27 to admit to i the interior of the casing for the assemblage of the differential gears and bearings therein through the openings or ports 28 at each the springs firmly in 1 side of said differential casing, as will be hereinafter described. Said differential casing has the seats 29 for the upper spring 30, and 31 for the forward lower spring 32,

' 15 and 33 for the rear lower spring 34. Said springs are rigidly attached or clamped to said differential casing seats by means of bolts on .each side and suitable clamping plates which hold the central portions of osition and make a rigid central column 0 the differential casing 26.

' a The outer ends of the springs are each turned in a loop 35 which. receives there- I 3 through a shackle link bolt with oil-less bushing 36, as shown in section in Figs. 2 and 4. The opposite ends of the shackle links are similarly attached by means of shackle link bolts 37 to a triangular triple bearing spider 38, said spider 38 having the tubular bearings 39- to receive said shackle link bolts 37 therethrough with oilless bushings.

The spiders 38' Have the tubular integral spindles 40 extending out from the central 1 portion thereof to support the wheel hub 41 thereon. on suitable lower bearings, substantially as shown in section in Fig. 2. The wheel 42 is turned inthe following manner: The pinion shaft56 which is rotated by the engine by means of a propeller shaft turns the differential gear by means of apinion gear 57 and ring car 54 which in'turn ro- The springs 30,32 and 34 are each con-' trolled or held in erfect alinement by means of stron tub ar radius rods '47, 48 and 49, each 'si e of the central differential casmgl, which radius rods are pivotally. attache at the outer ends by, the shackle link bolts 86 which hold. the outer ends of the Y springs, and at their inner. ends they are provided with similar bolt hearings in the tubular projections 50 on said differential casing, wh ch bearings 50 are so placed as to bring and radius rods 47,48 and 49, into tance sufficient to clear any normal obstructionswithout affecting the other wheel or wheels or the body of the vehicle and the oc-. cupants of the same.

This construction permits the brake drums 51 to be placed adjacent the opposite sides of the differential casing 26, said brake drums 51 being provided with external contracting brake bands 52 so that they may be connected by a short equalizing bar and a single brake rod to the brake control lever or edal. The brake bands 52 are provided wit spring take-ups for the same. The brake bands 52 are supported around said brake drums 51 by the brake supports 66. Said brake supports 66 are bolted to the differential casing around the openings 28 for the differential stub shaft bearing. The

brake drums 51 are thus attached on one side to the driving or Cardan shafts 43 by the universal joint 44, and on the other to a stub shaft 53 which is turned by the differential ring gear 54.

The differential casing 26' has the forward projecting tubular portion 55 within which, as; shown in section Fig. 3, the rear end of the pinion drive shaft 56 is received, which drive shaft has the pinion gear 57 on its rear end which turns the differential ring gear 54. The pinion drive shaft 56 is preferably provided with a roller bearing cage 58, which cage 58 is adjusted by means of the notched and flanged end 59 and theopening 60 through which the adjusting wrench can be inserted.

The stub 53 which connects the brake drum 51 to the differential gear 54 is supported in the differential casing 26 by the roller bearings 61 and ball bearings 62,

opening 28 in the sides of the differential casin di erentia casing 26.

The differential casing 26 performs five 26 so that said differential gear 54 ad'usted from the outer side of the functions: It is, first, a housing for-the differential gearing and rearend of the pinion shaft; it is, second, provided with seats for the crosswise suspension springs and thereby becomes a rigid column for the support of the central portion of said sprllfifl'; ar

thirdly, it is also provided with the tub hearings or anchoring oints for the inner ends of the radius r fourth, forms *a closure for the same.

rigid support for. the brake drums permittirig' a short equalizing bar and single brake r and fifth, it is solidly built into the automobile chassis, giving solidity and rigidity to all different parts assembling into and out of the same as well as upon and around the same. v The cover 27 admits to the interior of the, differential casing 26, permitting assembly and renewal of any of the arts assembled into said casing. Said cover is not a part of said casing in so far as its general ofiices are concerned, but only serves as a What is claimed as new is:

a differential casin having integral sohd seats at its top and ttom, springs engaged at their central portions against the seats,

means to immovably connect said portions of the s rings to the seats, wheel carriers, shackle 'nks movably connected at one end to the carriers and movably' connected at their opposite ends to the outer ends of the springs so as to cause the outer ends of the springs to bear downwardly on and be mova 1 relative to 'the carriers, and radius r s movably connected to the difierential casin and to the carriers.

2. an automobile rear axle assembl a differential casin having integral sohd v seats at its top and ottom, springs engaged .at their central portions against the seats,

means to immovably connect said portions of the bottom springs to the seats, wheel carriers, a member seated on the top spring in overlying relationto the. top seat of the differential casing, means to immovably con-"' nect the member and therewith the central portion of the top spring to-thetop seat of the difierential casing, a frame seated on the member, means to rigidly secure the frame to the member, means to movably connect the outer ends ofthe'springs to the carriers to cause the springs to bear downwardly on the carrier, and radius rods pivotally connected to the differential casing and to the carriers.

3. In an automobile rear axle assembly a difierential casin having integral sohd seats'at its top and means to immovably connect said, portions of the bottom springs to the seats, wheel carriers, a member seated on the top spring portion of the top sprin to the top seat of the difierential casin a ame seated on the member, means to rigidl secure the frame -to' the member, shackle hnks pivotally connec'ted at one end to the carriers and pivconnected at their opposite ends to t outer ends of the springs so as to cause the outer ends of thesprings to bear downwardly on and be movable relative to the carriers, and radius rods pivotally connected. to the .difierential casing and to the carriers. In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature. i

onus E. WEAVER.

ttom, springs engaged v y at their central portions against the seats, l 1. In an automobile rear axle assembl 

